


Bits and Pieces

by cuppereya



Category: Guardians of Childhood - William Joyce, Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Pooka Jack Frost (Guardians of Childhood), Post Movie, anst, but i have ideas so it may deviate from what i wrote before, im saying attempt, kinda a sequal to my oneshot, mashup between movie and book, original Pookan characters, please forgive any inaccuracies, slow-burn attempt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-24
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-16 20:41:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 12,120
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28962609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cuppereya/pseuds/cuppereya
Summary: Jack got his memories back, sorta. Aster tried to forget his, especially those from a long gone planet. Yet, Jack is remembering the wrong kind of memories, and Aster can't seem to forget everything he wants to.This is about long lost hope, of forgotten people, and putting pieces of things back together.
Relationships: E. Aster Bunnymund/Jack Frost
Comments: 10
Kudos: 30





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So, first, a couple of disclaimers. I haven't actually been able to read the books, so my knowledge about the backstories is limited to what I can find online. I've tried my best to keep it close to what I've been able to find, but I have taken some liberties, especially with Bunny. Please don't hesitate to make corrections, I'd love to expand what I know!  
> Also, I am not Aussie, so please excuse the potentially bad dialog, and possible lack of slang. Again, corrections or suggestions are more than welcome!  
> And, finally, please enjoy! Not sure how long this will be, but it's definitely mutli-chaptered. I guess it'll depend on how longwinded I get!

The adrenaline started to wear off once Jack was safely seated in the sleigh as the five of them made their way towards the North Pole. He was still reeling from everything that had happened the last few days. It was such a whirlwind of events, the fact that he was now a Guardian hadn’t quite hit him yet. He could feel his core, something he always felt even if he didn’t know what it was exactly, but now he felt the belief. It was warmth, similar to his core, but a little higher up in his chest. His core, Joy, was a warmth that sat at the bottom of his rib cage, right underneath the tip of his sternum, whereas his belief sat right next to his heart.  
  
They had just finished going through one of North’s portals when Jack put a hand right over the warmth of his belief, but winced at the pain it caused. He guessed Pitch’s attack at the south pole did more damage than he originally thought. He could feel a sharp pain radiating through his ribs.  
  
“You a’right there, mate?” Bunny asked. He sat diagonally from Jack, nails biting into the wood around him.  
  
Jack shrugged, wincing again at the pain. “Guess Pitch did a number to my ribs. I’ll be alright, cottontail.”  
  
Bunny snorted. “You should let the yeti take a look, at least.”  
  
Tooth, who sat next to Bunny, turned around to look at Jack. “I think we should all get a once over.”  
  
Jack just nodded and tried not to wince again.  
  
The North Pole grew closer and closer until, finally, they docked safely back into the hanger for the sleigh. Bunny was the first to scramble out of the slay. Both Tooth and sandy floated over next to Bunny. North jumped out with more energy than Jack thought he out to have. Jack, unlike his usual boisterous self, ginger climbed out of the slay. The pain settled in his chest full force, making every breath hurt. The five of them made their way inside, back into the globe room.  
  
It wasn’t nearly as lit up before, but the numbers were growing slowly. “How are you gaining believers back so quickly?” The question came out of Jack before he could think of a better way to phrase it.  
  
North chuckled. “That would be mini-fairies at work.”  
  
Tooth’s feathers puffed up in pride. “They’re activating the tooth boxes to remind the children. I’m sure Sandy will be hard at work to help remind them in their dreams.”  
  
Sandy floated up a little higher and puffed out his golden chest.  
  
Jack nodded in understanding, glad his question didn’t seem to come across as rude. He swayed a little as he stood, his vision going a little hazy. One hand gripped his staff to steady himself while the other wrapped around his ribs. Even just doing that took his breath away.  
  
Bunny reached a paw out and gingerly grabbed Jack’s shoulder. Jack saw bunny’s mouth move, but didn’t hear anything. A roaring in his ears started up.  
  
He saw from the corner of his eye North nodding and then bellowing something in rapid-fire Russian.  
  
Phil, one of the yeti grumped something in return and approached Jack.  
  
Jack staggered back, away from the advancing Phil. He didn’t want to be thrown out so soon, especially with how much pain there was throughout his chest. Bunny tried grabbing his shoulder again. Jack saw his brows furrow and saw his mouth moving again, but the pounding in his ears was too much. It was all too much. Jack was being crowded around by everyone and it was just too much. His vision darkened around the edges. Jack tried stepping back again, but his feet didn’t cooperate. The world titled and the last thing Jack remembered before everything going dark was two furry hands-paw?-grabbing his shoulders.  
  


* * *

  
  
Aster managed to grab Jack before he hit the ground. “What the bloody hell did Pitch do?” He shifted Jack until he was holding him bridal style, shepherd's crook abandoned on the floor.  
  
Baby Tooth, who was sitting on Tooth’s shoulder, chirped up.  
  
Tooth’s hands flew to her mouth, her tail feathers fluffing out. “Oh no.”  
  
“What is it, sheila?” Aster asked gently. He saw tears gathering in her eyes.  
  
“He, um, he sent Jack off a cliff,” She paused, letting Baby Tooth chirp some more,” oh, down into a ravine? Yeah, Baby Tooth here says after taking Jack’s staff, he flung Jack down a ravine in Antarctica.”  
  
Aster’s grip on Jack tightened. “If I ever see that excuse of a spirit again-” he stopped himself and took a deep breath, now was not the time. “Phil, lead the way. As I said b’fore, Jack needs the infirmary, _now_.”  
  
Phil gave a curt nod, mumbling something in yettish. He started walking away from the globe, Aster hot on his heels. Phil led the way down a hallway off to the right of the globe. Aster followed him into the fourth room on the right. Phil busied himself with gathering what he assumed were bandages and medicine for Jack, while he laid the sprite down on the twin bed.  
  
“Right, well, I’ll get Jack’s staff.” After said as he walked towards the door.  
  
He heard the yeti only grunt in response. Not wanting to get in the way he left the room, closing the door behind him, and made his way back to the other guardians. He tried to keep his breathing even and calm, even as his thoughts turned to Pitch. He wanted to wring that skinny neck or break Pitch’s ribs until he couldn’t breathe. He wasn’t even entirely sure why he got so angry. The sprite hadn’t been much more than an annoyance for the past 40-odd years, and yet the thought of someone hurting Jack made his blood boil. It made sense in a way, he tried to rationalize to himself. Jack, afterall, was the one to make Jamie believe in _him_. None of the other guardians had ever done that. He still needed to ask Jack how he managed that, being invisible himself. _Well, not anymore_ , Bunny thought to himself.  
  
The other three were still by the globe, talking amongst themselves, when Aster made it over to them. He saw Jack’s staff leaning up against the control center in front of North’s globe. The lights’ increase seemed to have slowed.  
  
“-can’t assume. We’ll just have to ask Jack.” Tooth was saying.  
  
“Ask Jack what?” Bunny stopped next to North, who was leaning up against the control center, next to the staff.  
  
“What happened at Easter,” North said simply.  
  
“Baby Tooth said after dropping off Sophie he said he heard a voice. She said he was almost frantic, but she couldn’t hear anything.” Tooth offered.  
  
“He was still conked out when I left ‘im with Phil.” Bunny scratched behind an ear. He was still trying to reign in his anger toward Pitch.  
  
North rubbed his beard. “We will wait then, yes? Come. Sit by fire.”  
  
Tooth nudged the slumbering Sandy and the two of them followed North toward the fireplace on the opposite wall. The deep couches looked appealing to Aster’s aching muscles, but he knew Jack would want his staff as soon as he woke up. “I’ll be over in a tick. I’m gon’ drop frostbite’s staff off.”  
  
North just waved him off, the three guardians already seated in comfortable spots.  
  
Aster grabbed Jack's staff and hopped down the hall. Halfway there he realized the staff was responding to his touch. It seemed to almost breathe. The wood lightened in color a shade, and he could see little buds of flowers starting to peek through the ancient grooves of the wood. He stopped at the room Jack was in, taking a closer look. He rolled it back and forth between his palms. It almost glowed everywhere he touched. He set it down against the wall. As soon as he let go, the magic seemed to fall away, the buds disappeared as if they were never there to begin with. When he picked it back up, his breath caught in his throat. The same magic from before breathed life back into the shepherd's crook. He could feel the Light pulsing inside the staff. The only type of weapons Aster could remember having that kind of magic were solely Pookan weaponry. Nothing in his long, long life could come close to replicating the kind of bond a Pooka had with their weapons. Nothing. And yet, Jack’s staff had the same trace of magic he could feel in his boomerangs; in any of his weapons.  
  
Aster shook his head. It was impossible, surely there was another explanation. Jack knew that explanation. He had to. With another small shake of his head, he opened the door. It was...chaos.  
  
There were two more yeti in the room besides Phil. One was holding Jack to the bed, who was struggling as best as he could with frost covering his bare chest and half the bed. The second yet had a roll of bandages in their hands while going on a tirade in yeti. Phil, for his part, at least looked sympathetic while he was bent over the counter covered in various medicines.  
  
“Bunny! What’s going on? They-they won’t let me _leave!”_ Jack all but yelled when his panicked eyes landed on the rabbit. He started to struggle harder. “I-where’s my _staff?”_  
  
“Frostbite, calm down.” Aster hopped over to the bed and put a paw on Jack’s calf. “I’ve got your staff. Hey, it’s okay. They’re trying to help.”  
  
Jack’s struggling calmed. “What happened? I’m-I’m not in trouble am I?”  
  
Aster handed him the staff, and he saw the sprite relax just a tad. The staff frosted over immediately, flower buds gone. “Yu’r not in trouble, mate. The yeti are just trying to patch you up. After you conked out on us, we brought you to the infirmary. You dropped yur staff and I didn’t have enough hands for both of you.”  
  
Jack stared wide-eyed at him, cheeks frosting over. “You brought me?”  
  
“Aye. Now, let the yeti fix you up.” Aster tried very hard to ignore Jack’s version of a blush. It looked right pretty on the sprite. Aster internally shook himself. _Not the time_. “I’ll wait outside for you.” He went back to the door, out of the room, and leaned against the wall. He rubbed a paw over his face, groaning softly.  
What was with him? Just a few days ago he’d rather get as far away from Jack as possible, and now he was admiring how the frost spread across his face. He couldn’t help but picture the way his frosted nose glinted in the light. _Nope, still not the time._  
  
Thankfully, Jack walked out of the room before Aster’s thoughts could stray much farther. He turned to Jack. “How’re you feeling, frostbite?”  
  
Jack ran a hand over his bare chest. Bandages covered most of his pale front, frost covering the rest in a thin layer. “Better, I think. Phil made me take some medicine, and I almost don’t feel any more pain.”  
  
Aster nodded. “Yeah the yeti are pretty good medics. You should be healed right up in a few days.”  
Jack’s eyes widened. “Days?  
Aster chuckled. “Yeah, the stuff Phil gave you should help you heal faster.” He paused, turning back towards the globe room. “Now, let’s go. The rest of the guardians are waiting.”  
  
Jack just nodded and walked next to Aster. They made it to the sitting area by the fireplace in short order. Jack sat down on the couch farthest from the fire. He stretched his legs across the cushions, his back resting against the arm. He laid his staff along the couch between him and the cushions. Aster flopped down in the soft armchair next to North and closest to the fire. North was in his usual armchair, feet propped up on the ottoman in front of him. Tooth and Sandy were already settled on the couch opposite from North and Aster.  
  
North clapped his hands loudly. Aster pressed his ears downs at the noise. “So, Jack, feel better?”  
  
Jack nodded. “Yeah, I guess Pitch hurt me more than I thought. Phil said I broke some ribs.”  
  
“Sandy threw up a golden exclamation mark while North choked on his eggnog. “Broken?”  
  
“Yeah, in Antarctica.” Jack looked around at the guardians’ faces. With an air of nonchalance, and a wave of his hand, he said, “It’s okay. It’s not the first time.”  
  
Shock ran down Aster’s spine. “When?”  
  
Jack’s eyes flicked to Aster just for a second. “...‘68.”  
  
Aster tried not to let the guilt get the best of him. Easter 1968 was a rough one. He remembered the blizzard, the anger, the small dent in belief. He remembered finding Jack, but not much past seeing the sprites face is a blurry mess tinged with anger. Had he really been mad enough to hurt Jack?  
  
“Um, Jack, would you mind explaining what happened?” Tooth spoke up after Jack didn’t say anymore, “Baby Tooth told us some, but we’d like to know your side.”  
  
Aster saw Jack’s eyes widened briefly. “Uh yeah. Want me to start after I dropped Sophie off?” Once the rest of the guardians nodded, he straightened up. “Well, I was climbing out of her window when I heard a voice…”  
  
He listened along as Jack recalled what happened that night. It made sense in a way. Tooth explained, ages ago, That the tooth boxes will call out for their owners for those that need them. Jack, who spent the last three hundred years without any memories from his past, would have a strong pull to his teeth. Pitch familiar with the guardians’ respective magic, knew that and used it to his advantage.. Aster could feel the anger towards Pitch bubbling up again. He looked over at Jack, who was talking about Pitch’s lair, the taunts, the cages, and couldn’t help the small snarl.  
  
Jack faltered, looking at Aster. “I-I’m sorry! I swear, it was only 15, 30 minutes tops I was down there! He got me so turned around! And then, he pushed me, and I was in one of your tunnels. I-I don’t even know how! I was in Burgess, but-but you guys were in England. I don’t-”  
  
He held up a paw and Jack snapped his mouth shut. “Jack, I’m not angry at you. I’m disgusted with Pitch. He used you, and we fell for it.” He sighed, running a paw over his ears. “I’m sorry, frostbite.”  
  
Tooth fluttered over to the couch Jack was sitting on. She perched on the arm opposite Jack. “The tooth boxes have strong magic in them. They compel those who need their memories to find them. Pitch probably figured it out and used your box to get you away from us. He wanted to tear us apart, and he used you to accomplish that.”  
She gently put a hand on his foot. “It wasn’t your fault.”  
  
He sank further into cushions. “But I ruined Easter.”  
  
Aster shook his head. “No, Jack, ya didn’t. Pitch did, and let you take the blame.”  
  
There was a short silence. Aster could see the range of emotions flash through Jack’s face. Guilt settled in his stomach like a bolder. He knew Pitch. He knew what Pitch was capable of, and still fell for his games. He couldn’t blame Jack, who was left alone for so long. No one explained anything to him. No one wanted to, Aster included.  
  
“What happened in Antarctica?” Aster let the question slip. A part of him wanted to know to do the same to Pitch, another part, probably the bigger part, just wanted to _know_. After all, they all abandoned him. Hell, Aster nearly punched him, and, yet, Jack still came back. He still saved them.  
  
He saw Jack hug his chest. “Well, after Easter, I wasn’t really sure what to do, besides get as far away as I could.” With a shrug he continued, “I figured Antarctica was as far as I could get. Pitch found me, and offered to let me join him.” Jack paused. He let out a shaky breath. “When I told him no, he brought out Baby Tooth. We got separated when I went to his lair. Well, he said if I gave him my staff, he’d let her go.”  
  
Baby Tooth, who was still sitting on Tooth’s shoulder, chirped up then.  
  
Jack let out a bitter laugh. “Yeah, he lied. After I gave him my staff, he wouldn’t let her go. She stabbed his hand so he threw her. Then he sent some of that nightmare sand at me and sent me flying too. I hit a wall, I think? It was kinda disorienting. But yeah, I ended up in the same place as Baby Tooth. It was a small ravine. Too deep to get out without flying. Pitch broke my staff, and she couldn’t fly so we were stuck in there for a while.”  
  
“He broke staff?” North spoke up.  
  
Jack nodded. Aster noticed his grip on the shepherd's crook tighten. “After I fell. Pitch walked over to us and broke it and dropped it down to me. He-he didn’t want me to get involved again.”  
  
“How’d you fix it, mate?” Aster tried not to snarl again. The more Jack talked, the more he wanted to find Pitch and kill him.  
  
“I don’t really know. Baby Tooth helped me see my memories, and they, um, they gave me what I needed, I guess. I wanted to help so bad. I couldn’t just let Pitch win. I held the two pieces together, and just thought about how much I needed to get out of there.”  
  
Baby Tooth started chirping again. Tooth’s face scrunched up in confusion. “Light?”  
  
“Yeah, light. Where I stuck the two pieces together. After a minute, there was this really bright blue light. You remember after Sandy-” Jack faltered before continuing, “-um, yeah. Well, it was the same kind of light, but from my staff. And then, the pieces, like, melded back together.”  
  
A chill went through Aster. I _t wasn’t possible. That kind of magic is impossible,_ He kept trying to tell himself, _it’s not possible._  
  
“-back to Pitch’s lair.” Jack was still saying, “I opened up all the cages, but none of the fairies could fly. That’s when I saw the last light. I don’t really know how I knew, but I knew it was Jamie.”  
  
“How’d you get Jamie to believe? In me, mate?” Aster asked softly.  
  
Jack brightened up, sitting up a little straighter. “I can show you!” He struggled to get up from the couch. “ I just need a flat surface.”  
Tooth fluttered up from the couch. Aster watched as she helped Jack get to his feet.  
  
Jack walked over to a nearby table. The rest of the guardians followed and made a small circle around it. He touched the surface and frost covered the wood. He drew a small rabbit in the frost, and after a moment of concentration with Jack’s hands hovering over the frost, it jumped to life. The small frost bunny hopped through the air around the guardians before bursting into a small flurry of snowflakes. “He was about ready to give up, but the bunny convinced him. I’m not entirely sure how Jamie managed to believe in me, but he started saying my name! And then! He turned around and looked right at me!”  
  
North clapped a large hand on Jack’s small shoulder. “Very impressive.”  
  
Aster didn’t miss the wince from Jack, but tried to ignore it. “Thank you, Jack. I prolly wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for you.” He gently put a paw on Jack’s shoulder.  
  
Big blue eyes met green. Aster felt his center swell as he saw the hope in those impossibly blue eyes.  
  
North clapped his hands together, getting everyone’s attention. “Is time for celebration!”  
  
The five of them shuffled back to the sitting area around the fire. Each one took their previous spots. North bellowed out more Russian, and after a few moments, a gaggle of elves came rushing from what Aster assumed the kitchen. Each of the elves carried a tray of either food or drinks. It was a good night, Aster decided. It had been a long time since he just enjoyed the company of friends.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> bit of a shorter chapter, but meh. trying to get some of the hiccups after the battle with Pitch out of the way before really getting into the thick of it, so to speak. This was surprisingly introspective. hopefully some interesting things will happen next chapter.  
> also, there's a little detail about how I refer to Bunny, let me know if you can spot it  
> enjoy!

Jack awoke slowly. The nippy air surrounding him and the sturdy wood beneath him felt misplaced. Wasn’t he in a field of grass? Images of rolling hills and tall trees with the perfect amount of shade followed him as he grew more and more awake. It was an odd feeling. His eyes blinked opened to the morning light peeking through tree branches. The completely different setting that greeted him than what he expected felt almost jarring. After blinking his eyes at the weak sunlight again, the last few days, and where he was, came back. He tried to shake the fuzzy memories of hills and grass and twin suns as he took in where he actually was.

He was near the bank of his lake, resting in a large oak tree. By the look of the sunlight, it was early morning. Frost still blanketed the sparse greenery. Aside from the disorienting feeling he was still trying to shake, the view was beautiful. He got the sudden urge to replicate it on paper. 

Jack let out a misty breath. As he remembered where he had planned on being that day, anxiety settled behind his ribcage. “You can do this. It’s just some cleaning.” He told himself, “no biggie.”

The day after the battle with Pitch, the other guardians having spent the night at North’s, Jack had offered to help Bunny clean up the warren. It was mostly born from the guilt sitting next to Jack’s breakfast, but it was also an olive branch. More so than his apology for the Kangaroo quip. After spending over 40 years at odds with each other, Jack figured it was about time to smooth things over. If not for a potential friendship, then he, at least, could use one more person he could trust in a fight. Now with the common enemy taken care of, Jack wasn’t entirely sure where the two of them stood.

Surprisingly, Bunny had actually accepted. He had told Jack to come by after his ribbed healed. Phil had said it would take a few days, so they agreed on four.

All of the guardians had been full of surprises. They had heard him out, actually _listening_ , and, instead of kicking him out, they had celebrated. And they didn’t just celebrate beating Pitch; they had celebrated him, too. They celebrated his guardianship and center and first believers. They had brought out drinks, of all varieties, more food than Jack had seen in decades, and stories. Jack got to listen to how they found their centers, of previous battles, of the start of their legends. North had even gone through his entire story of turning into the jolly guardian of wonder from a wild thief. 

Jack had spent the first half of the night waiting to be shone out, expecting to have used up his welcome, but North couldn’t have proved him more wrong. The old Cossack had stopped mid-story, his drink sloshing around in his mug. With a glint in his eyes, he asked Jack why he wasn’t comfortable. He had said, “Jack, please, relax. You will always be welcome. Do you want another drink?”

The question was disarming, the statement even more so. The winter spirit had taken that moment to look around the room. Everyone was curled up among plush cushions, drinks in hands, content. It was a private kind of comfort that wasn’t shown in front of an outside. Yet, they were doing just that in front of Jack. They didn’t consider him an outsider. the realization felt like cold water on his face. With that realization in mind, he had settled back into his own plush cushions and got comfortable.

Now, however, that contentment seemed almost impossible for Jack to bring back. He was fully awake, and therefore, fully aware of his day with Bunny ahead. It could go either horribly wrong, or not so bad. So, without anymore dwelling on the what ifs, he launched himself into the air.

The flight from Pennsylvania to Australia went by faster than he would have liked. It felt like almost no time had passed when Jack’s feet touched earth. Thankfully, Bunny had given very clear instructions. Go to this mountain, look for this batch of flowers, and follow the proverbial bunny trail. Jack did just that. By the time he made it to the unremarkable stone that he knew was a door, his heart was in his throat. 

Two knocks. Bated breath.

It felt simultaneously like a split second and an eternity before the rock started moving. The edges of the door blended in flawlessly with the rest of the rock. Jack almost felt like he was part of some secret, but didn’t quite know what the secret was.

“G’day, mate.” Bunny was standing on the other side of the now opened door. His arms were folded across his chest, hip cocked, and ears at attention. “How’re your ribs?”

* * *

Aster had originally been hesitant to let Jack come help him clean up his home. It was the closest thing on this planet to his old home, back on his own planet. It was difficult to let people in, especially someone he had spent at odds with up until very recently.

Aster knew what guilt felt like. Even as misplaced as Jack’s was, he knew. He also knew the only way to really get rid of it was actually doing something. He had seen the earnest look on the sprite's face. He also saw the guilt. So, when Jack had offered his help, Aster couldn't help but say yes. 

The pooka, back on his homeworld, was known for his nerves of steel. He was called for every time something scary needed tending. Whether it was a critter in the burrow, or a scared kit needing a bedtime story, he helped. It came as a surprise, then, when the day came for Jack to come help, he was a bundle of nervous energy. The days leading up were filled with cleaning up Pitch’s mess, so much so that Aster hadn’t actually had time to think about Jack being in the warren. But now, Jack would be there. Just Jack, going through tunnels and across fields. There was potential of him seeing the small details. The Pookan architecture from the golden age shaped the oasis. Little pieces of home were scattered throughout the greenery and stones. Inviting Jack in felt like sharing pieces of himself.

When he felt more than heard the faint knocks at the door he had told Jack to use, he bounded down the winding tunnels before he could even blink. Once he reached the dead end, he took a quick moment to compose himself. Fur was smoothed down, a quick sake of the ears, furry arms crossed in front of his frantic heart. A quick double tap and the door slid open.

Jack was on the other side, twirling that staff of his like a baton. 

Aster took a deep breath. “G’day mate. How’re your ribs?”

“Good as new.” He gave him a dazzling smile. “So, spring cleaning?”

He flicked his ears back towards the way he had just come. “The warren’s still a right mess.” He turned and started walking.

He heard Jack fall into pace a step or two behind. The walk back to the warren took longer than Aster’s original journey, but it was a comfortable kind of quiet. Thankfully, this particular tunnel was one of the first to be cleaned, so it was clear of any sign of Pitch or the eggshells. 

Once the two made it back to the main cavern of the warren, Aster stopped and turned back around to Jack, who was looking around with awe. “You know, bun-bun, this place is really cool.”

He felt warmth creep up his ears. “Ah, thanks, mate.” He looked back towards the continental tunnels. He could still see a blanket of shells. “Sandy already took care of any left-over sand, so it’s mostly just shells.” 

He saw Jack throw his shoulders back, bracing himself. “Show me where to start.”

Aster had assumed it would be slow going. He probably could have asked for more hands. North had actually offered some yeti, but he refused. It felt too personal to have so many hands all over his home. With that assuming in mind, Aster was pleasantly surprised. Even with centuries of practice cleaning up post-Easter, Jack ran circles around him. Instead of using the offered broom, he used his shepherd’s crook, the wind, and his imagination to clear out the tunnels. It seemed the guardian of fun could turn anything into a game.

Aster could only catch glimpses of him at work. From what he saw, Jack would use the wind to guide the shells through the tunnels. As soon as he got close to the end, they went from a flurry of white to a gentle breeze over to the growing pile. The sight reminded Aster of leaves in Autumn, in a weird colorless way. 

Between Jack’s game and jokes and acrobats, they made more progress than what Aster would have made in two weeks. He made his way out a tunnel for the umpteenth time that day to see the artificial sun setting. Jack was sitting atop the lard mound of eggshells, seeming to be waiting patiently. He, deciding to test that patience, ambled over to the spirit. 

Jack was lounging, actually lounging, propped up on elbows, feet dangling. “What’s next, cottontail? I couldn’t find any more eggs.”

He scoffed, dumping his bundle at the base of the pile. “Now, we rest. We already got a quarter of the tunnels done.”

Jack blinked his blue eyes. “Oh, well, I guess it’s time I should head out then.”

“Nah, mate. I ain’t kicking you out. I at least owe you some tucker.” He started walking towards his burrow. “Come on, frostbite.”

He heard soft footfalls behind him. “How does the sky work?”

“Magic.” Aster deadpanned.

“I’m serious, bunny-but.”

“So’m I.” He huffed out a laugh. “I’ll have to show you sometime. It’s a mix of magic and Pookan technology.”

“What’s Pookan?” Jack’s question was innocent. It still made Aster flinch.

“It’s me, mate. I’m a pooka.”

Jack must have sensed the tension in him. No more questions came forth, and the rest of the walk was quiet. By the time they made it to his burrow, the sun had finished setting, false stars twinkling overhead. 

A soft “oh, wow” had Aster turning around. 

He cocked his head.

Jack was staring at his burrow. “It...not really what I expected.”

Irritation flashed through him. “What of it?”

Hands flew up in placating gesture. “Not bad, Bunny. Just different. I figured you had a hobbit house.”

His nose twitched. He spent a lot of time figuring out what kind of home he wanted to live in. The burrows on his home planet were mostly tunneled out hills or carved into the side of a mountain. Copying that would have been too painful. For centuries, before humans were the intelligent species of Earth, he spent his time hibernating underneath the roots of a tree from his home planet. After more than a few failed attempts and plenty of visits topside, he ended up building a rounded home under the same tree he had used for hibernation. He didn’t want to replicate his kind’s burrows, but the ellipsoid shape brought an odd sort of comfort. 

“So, what’s for tucker?” Jack asked, throwing air-quotes around ‘tucker’.


	3. Chapter 3

Jack woke with a start. His surroundings weren’t anywhere he had expected. This was the fourth time it happened since gaining his memories. Frustratingly, Jack couldn’t seem to actually remember his dreams aside from snapshots that felt like home. The images lingering in his mind were alien, literally. He could picture a beautiful skyline of rounded buildings and twinkling lights, of rolling hills, of mountain ranges he had never seen on Earth. Every single image featured twin suns in the sky or three moons. None of it made sense. Tooth had told him, shortly after things settled down, that he would have memories not being preserved with his baby teeth trickle in. She had explained that since he actually died, his amnesia was likely due to how he became a spirit. The baby teeth jogged his memory, almost unlocking them in a way. So Jack expected to have dreams of his laughing sister, or mom, or even his dad. Instead, his mind was coming up with a place he had never even been to. It really just didn’t make sense. 

Thankfully, the monthly guardian meeting was swiftly approaching. Between the stories that first night, they all agreed to start up a monthly get together/meeting to keep up-to-date with each other. Jack decided he would just have to ask Tooth at the meeting.

“Jack! Is good to see you!” North called out. He was on the main floor of the Pole, fiddling with the control panel in front of the globe.

Jack watched the globe spin on its tilted axis for a moment. “Sorry if I interrupted anything.”

North waved a hand. He was still bent over the controls, glasses almost too small for his face resting on the tip of his nose. “Bah, do not worry. I am good with distractions.” As if to prove a point, a couple of elves ran by covered in singing Christmas lights.

Jack just shook his head and meandered off. He was the first guardian to arrive, the host himself aside, so Jack had some time to kill. He figured the best course of action was to flit up to the rafters and cause some mayhem. Not a lot, but enough to irritate the yeti. It mostly involved frosting over toys or creating patches of ice that tripped up the elves.

Bunny was the second guardian to arrive. Jack heard him cursing the snow before actually seeing the overgrown rabbit. He hopped over to the fireplace and flopped down right in front of it. Immediately after getting settled he started to rub warmth back into his paws.

Jack couldn't help a small snicker.

Tooth was next to arrive. She came in through a window, flurry of bright colors and rapid-fire directions to the mini-fairies that followed in her wake. She gave out quick greetings to both North and Bunny.

Sandy floated in silently. Jack would have missed his entrance, too, if it weren’t for the soft glow that always seemed to surround the small man. Jack watched as each guardian gave their greetings, Sandy nodding at each one in return.

Jack was about to hop down from the rafters when Tooth’s voice stopped him. “Where’s Jack? The meeting is in a few minutes.”

“Huh, he’s usually pretty punctual.” Jack was surprised to hear Bunny’s praise.

“What do you know of Jack’s punctuality?” North’s eyes twinkled as he stroked his beard.

Bunny’s ears fell flat against his head. “He’s been helpin’ me clean up after Easter.”

Jack, sensing the conversation was about to take a downward turn, called out. “I was the first one here.” He leapt off the rafters. “Aren’t we supposed to have a meeting?”

North clapped his hands together. “Yes! Guardian meeting. Come, we sit by fire!”

They all made their way to the seats they took that first night. Once everyone was settled, each took their turn filling the rest in on what they’ve been up to. Tooth’s feathers fluffed up in pride while she talked about being almost done with getting the baby teeth reorganized. North didn’t actually have much to say. Since his holiday was so far away, preparations were right on schedule. He did, however, hint at renovations to the North Pole. Bunny (and Jack) was proud to announce the warren had been completely cleared out. When it was Jack’s turn, he just shrugged, mumbling about his off season.  Sandy, for a silent man, had much to say. He seemed happy to announce the lack of nightmare sand, even though the children were still feeling the lingering effects of Pitch. He talked about being hard at work restoring their belief, as well as encouraging children to believe in Jack Frost. 

“Sandy, I am glad you brought that up.” North beamed. He turned to Jack. “Jack, I was going to wait until it was closer to Christmas, but now is good time, too.”

Jack looked over at North and cocked his head.

“I was thinking of asking you to help with Christmas. Bring white winters. Maybe sign your name on some presents.”

Now it was Jack’s turn to beam. “That sounds awesome, North. I’d love to help.”

North nodded, pleased. “Good. Now, time for presents!”

“Presents? I didn’t get you guys anything.” Jack blurted out. If he had known they were doing presents, he definitely would have brought them all something. 

“Nah, mate. Just prezzies for you. We all got you something.” Bunny gave him a small smile.

Jack shook his head. He opened his mouth to say something, but Tooth fluttered over before he could, holding out a small black box. Blue and silver ribbon was wrapped around it and tied into a simple bow. “Jack, think of it as a welcome gift.”

He gingerly took the box from her, turning it over in his hands a few times. It was small enough to be considered a jewelry box. Sitting inside on soft white satin was a necklace. Laced on a corded leather necklace was a delicate feather. Jack rubbed a finger along the individual strands. The colors were as vibrant as the fairy herself. “Thank you.” He whispered, hoping the sound would carry.

Sandy was next. He gave Jack a small golden box, as small as the previous gift. It shimmered in the light as Jack moved it side to side. A silver bow sat on the top right corner of the lid. Carefully, he opened the box up and peered inside. Sitting on a plush golden pillow was a small vial filled with dreamsand. Sandy mimed to open it. Jack unscrewed the tiny cork and the sand glowed the same golden color of the small man himself. Sandy gave him a thumbs up before floating back to his seat.

North heaved himself from his seat, took a stereotypical Christmas gift bag from one of the yeti, and walked over to Jack. He handed the bag to Jack wordlessly before turning around and settling himself back into his arm chair. 

Jack only took a moment to look over the bag with a picture of a snow flurry before taking out the wrapping paper. Inside was a belt. He took it out of the bag and uncurled it. It was made of a strong leather, the color a few shades darker than his pants. The buckle was rounded with an intricate snowflake engraved into it. He ran a finger delicately across the engraving as he said, “Thank you, North.”

North waved a hand. “Oh course, Jack.”

Bunny hopped over before he could respond. The rabbit handed over an egg shaped box. It was only a little bigger than Tooth’s gift. There was no ribbon or bows, but the intricate pattern of snowflakes that shimmered in the light more than made up for it. 

Jack popped the lid open. It looked like a small leather bracelet. He picked it up from the wrapping paper and looked closer. The leather was in two layers. The first was a thick but simple leather band, clasp on each end. The second layer was a braid that sat on top of the first layer. Nestled right in the middle of the braid was a small metal snowflake and in the center was an even smaller blue gem. “This is...wow.” He looked up at Bunny, who was settled back into his seat. “Did you make this?”

Bunny nodded. Jack watched as his whiskers twitched.

“Thank you, Bunny. This is amazing.” Jack looked at the rest of the guardians. “And thank you again. You really didn’t have to.”

“Oh, Jack, we really did.” Tooth spoke up. 

Bunny elaborated. “You can contact us through them. For mine you just tap the snowflake twice and I’ll hear it.”

Jack, with a cocked eyebrow, tapped the small metal snowflake twice. He didn’t hear anything but he saw the rabbit’s ears twitch. “Like that?”

Bunny gave a quick nod.

“Each of our gifts are like that.” Tooth gave Jack a warm smile. “Sandy already showed you how to use his. For North’s gift, you just press the snowflake on the buckle. I can show you mine.” She flew over to Jack and picked up the small pendant. “You just grab both ends and twist.” She did so as she spoke, and the originally flat feather flared out and twisted into a spiral of colors. It reminded Jack of a rainbow corkscrew. Tooth flattened the feather back out before setting it down and taking her seat. “Jack, I know we have failed you in the past, but if you’re ever in danger or need our help, please reach out.”

Jack gave the fairy a small smile. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“Jack, belt also ties you to  aurora borealis. You’ll see the lights in sky if there’s an emergency.” North said.

“So, that’s how you guys communicate?” Jack cocked his head. He knew they were all pretty busy leading up to the whole Pitch fiasco. So, them being all together made him a little curious about how they communicate. 

Bunny shrugged. “We all have our own signals. If you want I can help you figure out yours. That way you don’t have to call us all individually.”

Jack beamed. “I’d love that, cottontail!”

At this point, Sandy had to take his leave. He threw up a picture of sleeping children and an apologetic smile before floating out the way he came.

Tooth wasn’t far behind. She, too, gave an apologetic smile, a quick goodbye, and flitted through the nearest window. 

Jack, thankfully, was just as quick. He hadn’t gotten the opportunity yet to talk to the fairy about his memory problems, so he was right behind her. He barely remembered a quick goodbye to the remaining guardians. “Tooth, wait!”

She stopped to a hover in the frigid arctic air. She wrapped her arms around her small frame and looked expectantly at Jack.

“I’m having an issue with my memories. I..” He hesitated just for a moment before barreling on. “I haven’t had any new memories get triggered like you said. I can only remember the ones from the teeth.” Another small pause. “But I keep having these weird dreams that I can’t remember much of, but they feel like the teeth memories do.”

Tooth blinked almost blankly. “I, honestly, haven’t heard of something like that before. Why don’t you stop by tomorrow? That’ll give me a chance to do some research.” She put a small hand on his shoulder. “We'll get it figured out, Jack. I promise you’ll get all your memories back.”

Now it was Jack’s turn to stare. He wasn’t sure what to expect, but the sincerity in her promise, as well as the offer to actually help and be involved in his problem wasn’t something he could even think of. “Thank you. I guess I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She gave a small smile, an equally small pat on the shoulder, and flew off.

Jack watched her figure get smaller and smaller before disappearing entirely. He stayed there, floating on the wind, for a while longer. It was still so foreign to him. His new gifts felt weird against his skin. He could feel the feather and vial of dreamsand against his chest. Thankfully, the cork had a small loop built into it, so he was able to put it on the same necklace as the feather. The belt was an odd weight against his stomach. It wasn’t big enough to interfere with his constant acrobats but it was noticeable. The bracelet was simultaneously the weirdest and most normal. It was warm against his skin, even though Jack was in the middle of the arctic and a winter spirit. Yet, somehow it didn’t feel out of place. Certainly it was a new feeling to Jack, to have something wrapped around his wrist. But it fit perfectly, like it was meant to be there all along and was just missing the last 300 years.

Jack couldn’t figure out why it felt so familiar, but just thinking about it for a few minutes was giving him a headache. Jack wondered if the bracelet was tugging at a memory Jack couldn’t seem to, well, remember. He just hoped Tooth could help.

* * *

“That went well, yes?” North said after Jack shot out of the window.

Aster gave a noncommittal shrug. “I s’pose. It was only the first meeting, and thing’s have been quiet since we took care of Pitch.”

North rolled his eyes. “I meant presents, Bunny.”

Aster felt his nose twitch. “Yeah, well, he wasn’t upset about the surprise, if that’s what you mean.” He tried not thinking about the presents too much, even though it was his idea, after all. His companions had their strengths, but thoughtfulness wasn’t exactly one. Aster was the most introspective of the bunch, and the most practical, so it wasn’t a surprise he was the first to realize Jack didn’t have a way to reach them, nor them him. Thankfully, the others caught on rather excitedly. North, of course, decided to call it a welcoming party of sorts.

Aster just didn’t expect it to become so personal to him. He spent all his free time leading up to the meeting working on his present to Jack. It wasn’t until the bracelet was almost done that he realized he worked Pookan magic into the braids of the leather. It was an old tradition, but a very personal one. Usually, protection wards were only exchanged by loved ones. Even in the military, the wards were done on only a Pooka’s own personal weapon. Yet, Aster had weaved the strongest Pookan spells into the leather without even realizing it. 

So, he tried not to think about it. The was a little box, somewhere in the back of his mind, of things he didn’t want to think about. Lately, most of them have been about Jack. While Jack was helping with cleaning the warren, Aster had asked Jack about his staff. Unfortunately, all Jack said was that it was his dad’s when he was a human, and he had it since becoming a spirit. So, the staff was labeled  _ not thinking about it _ . Actually, Aster’s sudden fondness was also under the same label. He would catch himself staring after the sprite as he worked or during supper. It was a new feeling, definitely different than his fondness for the other guardians. The feelings Aster felt for them were more like a close friendship built on countless years and hardships. With Jack, it was something almost private. He felt the urge to protect their newest member. They also fell into a comfortable rhythm while working at a surprising speed. The last time he had felt that way about someone was a Pooka labeled  _ not thinking about it.  _ So, yeah, most things involving Jack were put in the  _ do not think about it _ box. Unfortunately, Jack’s magic was stubbornly staying out of that box.

“So Jack helped clean up your home?” North broke Aster out of his thoughts. “Is very personal for Bunny, no?”

He grunted. “He blamed himself for what happened. I just knew he needed to do something about it.”

The Russian stroked his beard. After a moment he shouted something in Russian. A yeti grunted in response before walking off towards the kitchen. In English, he said, “I think it is time for eggnog.”

The same yeti came back, two mugs in hand. He gave one to North and offered the other one to Aster.

He rolled his eyes, but took the offered mug. “It sounds like you’re about to ask me something I don’t wan’ta answer, North.”

North let out a boisterous laugh. “Da. You don’t usually let people in to warren. I offered yeti, but you refused. Yet, you let Jack help. Why?”

“I already told you.”

North shook his head. “That is not really why.”

He took a long sip of his drink before answering. “I don’t rightly know. There’s something about him.”

It was North’s turn to take a sip of eggnog. “He is guardian. We are all special.”

Another drink of eggnog. “That’s not what I mean. I feel drawn to him. I want to be around him, take care of him.”

Aster could have sworn he saw a twinkle in the old man’s eyes. “You feel for him, Bunny.”

He scoffed. “He hasn’t even been a guardian for a year, North. I barely know him.”

“Ah, but you want to.”

The back and forth banter went on for a while longer. It was nice to fall back on to old habits. The last few weeks had been a whirlwind of change and chaos. They were all trying to figure out a new rhythm of normalcy. The familiarity of bickering with a long time friend was the perfect build up of courage for Aster to ask what he really wanted to. “North, I have a question.”

North waved a hand toward him, beckoning him to continue.

After getting a less than helpful answer from Jack about his staff, he figured the next best person would be North. He, aside from Aster, had the largest library of magic. If anyone could come up with a plausible explanation for the staff responding to his touch, it would be the old cossack. “Well, it’s about Jack’s staff…” He explained what happened that day after the battle with Pitch. Thankfully, North knew a little about how Pookan magic and technology worked. “I’m the last, North. There’s gotta be a reason his staff did that.”

North took a while to respond. He alternated between taking sips of his drink and stroking his beard. Finally, he said, “I am unsure what to say, Bunny, but I will look into it.”

“Thank you.” Even though the two of them argued frequently, North was the only one to really know much about Aster’s past. They all knew what happened in a general sense, but North was the only one to get Aster drunk enough to really delve into the gritty details. Even Sandy, who had been around during the golden age, didn’t pry much. He and Tooth bonded over being the  _ last _ , but because of that shared tragedy both knew the pain that came with it, and didn’t really talk about it. North, however, was neither the last of something, nor old enough to remember. So, he was both curious and bold enough to pry. Because of how much he knew about Aster, he knew the rabbit couldn’t handle the false hope of not being the last. Somehow, it made the pain just a little easier for Aster to bear.

“Go home, Bunny. Sleep. I will look into Jack’s staff and let you know what I find.” North gave him a comforting smile.

Aster just nodded and stood up. “Thank you, again.” With that, he opened a tunnel and went home. 

It wasn’t until he was curled up safely inside his burrow before he poked around his  _ not thinking about it _ box. He was certain he was fond of Jack. Between his laughter filled with so much joy, and his bright smiles, and messy hair, the boy had a certain charm to himself that drew Aster in. It made him feel lighter in a way. Laughter came easier to him when he was around Jack. Things just seemed a little bit lighter. The image of a laughing smile and impossible blue eyes made the realization hit him like a brick.  _ Jack is just like him,  _ Aster thought.  _ That’s impossible. _


	4. Chapter 4

Jack wasn’t stalling. He really wasn’t. He just had plenty to do before seeing Tooth. It was still winter in Canada, so there was plenty of snow to drop. Alaska could use some snow, too. He also wanted to go visit Jamie. Since it was a late spring, it wouldn’t be out of place for one last snowball fight with the kids in Burgess. Okay, so maybe there wasn’t a whole lot on his agenda, but, still, he wasn’t stalling.

After finishing up a light dusting across Canada, he made his way to Burgess. The kids were still in school, so Jack spent his time making up with a light dusting of the perfect snow for packing into snowballs. Just as he had finished up and came down from the clouds, he heard the school bell ring. 

“Jack!” Jamie’s voice carried on the wind. 

Jack, beaming, flitted over to the small kids filtering out into the school hard. “Hey, kid. You guys down for one more snowball fight?”

There was a chorus of excited yes’s from the gathering kids. Once Jack could see all of the Burgess bunch, as he personally coined them, he hollered out a “Come on!” and shot off toward the playground. They all clamored after him, Claude and Caleb fighting for the lead and Monty in last.

Jack wasn’t entirely sure who threw the first snowball, but it didn’t really matter. It was the best snowball fight in Jack’s memory. That’s what really mattered anyway. He was finally seen. After 300 years of isolation he was finally able to have a real snowball fight with kids that saw him. There was no threat of fear from the bogeyman, no one walking through him. It was just pure childish fun on the brink of spring. Truly, it was the best fight in so, so long. And the joy from the kids filled his chest with so much warmth and light and joy. Jack was used to bringing joy and fun with the winter winds and snow flurries, but he wasn’t used to others sharing. It was a nice feeling, he decided.

When the kids were tired, and their fingers on the wrong side of cold, Jack declared the winner. Surprisingly, it was Monty, who was slowly growing into his glasses and getting a little more confident. He beamed at being named the winner. The rest of the Burgess bunch crowded around him, screaming with delight. Jamie offered a round of hot chocolate and they were off towards his house. The onslaught of hugs more than made up for the familiar ache of watching them go.

With no more excuses, and with a bittersweet smile, Jack rode the wind to Tooth’s palace. The trip took longer than it really needed to. It was fine, really. He was ready to admit to himself he really was stalling. More importantly, he realized exactly why. It was strange. He wanted his memories back. But the snapshots from his dreams felt just as real as his tooth box. Even more so, if he really thought about it. And it scared him. Which one was the lie? He felt an achingly urgent feeling of protection from the little girl stored in the teeth. But he also felt unbelievably homesick every time he recalled those twin suns. Which one was he supposed to give up? Which one wasn’t his to keep? If anyone could answer his questions, it was certainly Tooth. Yet, he almost didn’t want to know. He selfishly wanted to keep both. He knew he couldn’t; he just really, really, wanted to.

Jack could appreciate Tooth’s home. While the weather was a little too warm for his taste, the colors a little too bright, it was a vibrant kind of beauty he didn’t usually see. The palace was a kaleidoscope of warmer hues that blended perfectly with the gold architecture. Long spiraled structures hung from the hidden cave roof deep in an Asian mountain range. The blues and greens of the little mini-fairies popped against the pink and gold backdrop. 

As soon as Jack’s feet touched down on a rounded platform, Tooth zipped over from the central spire. “Jack, how’re you doing? Did you have any more dreams?”

Jack gave her a closed lipped smile, hoping that would deter her wandering fingers. “I’m alright, and no.”

She gave a quick nod. “Let’s go to the sitting room. I have a couple of theories. What kind of tea do you like?”

He followed her to another spiral. The passed through a wall that reminded Jack of a honeycomb birdcage and down a few levels. The two of them made their way inside and down a flight of stairs.

“Black tea,” was his answer. Truthfully it was the only tea he could actually recall drinking. Only one memory from his teeth recalled the bitter but comforting taste of it. 

The sitting room consisted of mostly pillows of various shapes, sizes, and colors. A large round table, the same gold color of most of the palace, sat low to the ground. Tooth settled into a plus, pink cushion while Jack chose a large bean bag chair.

“So, what’re your theories?” He asked once he wriggled into a comfortable position.

Tooth, who had just finished asking some mini-fairies for tea, looked at Jack with a focused gaze. “Well, I actually have a couple of questions first. You said you haven’t had any new memories, right? -Well, aside from the ones from your teeth.” She waited for a quick nod before continuing. “What do you remember from the dreams?”

He let out a long breath. “Well, not much. It’s mostly just, like, landscape, I guess? It’s-it’s kind of hard to explain. Here, let me know you.” He leaned toward the table and tapped it. Almost instantly, frost crept across the smooth surface. Swirling frost painted the most recent dream he could remember. Rolling hills made their way across the table. Trees were sparse, but flowers bloomed in abundance, and, of course, twin suns above the hills. The suns themselves were interesting. They followed the same East to West path as Earth’s, at least from what Jack could tell. One sun always followed the other. To Jack, it felt almost like a dance, or chase. “I can only remember, like, snapshots. Every time, though, it’s two suns during the day or three moons at night. Oddly, it feels so familiar.”

Tooth, who had leaned forward to get a better look at the frost, leaned back with a quiet “Hmm.” She sat for a moment, thoughtful look on her face. “That’s definitely interesting. I read up on some things since the meeting. Most of it wasn’t all that helpful. Usually, when someone has amnesia, the teeth jumpstart the memories in a way. The only time they can’t is if that part of the brain has been damaged.” She gave Jack a look he couldn’t quite figure out. “Originally, I thought that may have been what has been going with you.”

Jack cocked his head at that. “Do you still think that?”

She pursed her lips. “I’m not sure. I have an idea, if it’s okay with you.”

“Yeah?”

There was a long moment of silence. Jack leaned forward while Tooth settled herself more firmly on her pillow. Finally, she said, “Well, you have to go to sleep, and let me see what you’re dreaming.”

His eyebrows shot up. “How? I thought dreams were Sandy’s thing.”

A short, surprised laugh came from Tooth. “It is, but if what you’re dreaming is a memory, then I can see it.”

He sat back in his seat. Well, he would find out one way or another if these dreams were memories one way or another. He nodded more to himself than Tooth. “Alright, let’s do it.”

Almost right on queue, a small swarm of mini-fairies entered the room. Between them, they had a large tray with two teacups, tea pot, and an assortment of tea. Tooth gave her full attention to the fairies as they set the tray on the table. “Thank you, girls. Please go get my vial of dreamsand.” She turned to Jack. “I was thinking if those dreams are memories, we’d need some dreamsand. Sandy was more than happy to help.”

As soon as a small fairy came back with a small golden vial, Tooth took it and flitted up from her seat and over to Jack.

Jack took a deep breath as he tried to calm his nerves. He felt more than saw her sprinkle the dreamsand over him. The heaviness of sleep pulled with surprising strength, and in what felt like a blink, he was out.

_ “Snow!” A woman called. _

_ He felt small. He was in some meadow. Rolling hills covered in tall grass bathed in the dying sunlight of the twin suns. Even though it hurt his eyes, he loved looking at the suns. It was like a dance. One followed the other across the skyline and when they went away at night, three moons took their place. Those were easier to look at and just as beautiful. He was in a patch of purple flowers. They were small, like him, but beautiful. His mom would love them. He picked one closest to him to give to her. _

_ “Snow! It’s time to eat! The woman called again.  _

_ He tucked the small flower in his belt, jumped up from where he was sitting, and bounded on all fours toward the voice. It reminded him of warmth and the smell of vanilla. He made his way toward a large hill. Home, the memory supplied for him. It was unassuming but he felt a strong sense of safety just thinking about the underground space. A large bipedal rabbit was standing at the entrance of a small hole. The memory, again, supplied the name of the being: Pooka. Her coat was pure white with dark gray markings across her chest and down her arms.  _

_ “Mama! Mama, look!” He called back when he was close enough. He presented the Pooka with a flower he had picked from the meadow. _

_ “It’s beautiful, Snowdrop. Come inside, and we can put it with the others.” She took it from him and ushered inside the burrow. _

_ He followed her down the long hallway. His home had always been dark, but it was a comforting kind of dark. It wrapped him in a warm hug. Dim lighting came from small stones embedded in the ground that glowed just a little brighter when the two of them walked past. She led him into a large room that looked like a kitchen. The lighting was much brighter than the hallway, but it was still a soft yellow. The walls curved into an oval shape. Counters and shelving followed the wall and a large ellipsoid table sat in the center of the room. The room reminded Jack of Aster’s kitchen, but instead of stone walls and wooden floors, everything that wasn’t furniture was packed dirt. Sitting on the table was an array of dishes. He could smell the food from the doorway. He would have said it was his favorite, but he loved everything his mom made, so picking a favorite was just about impossible.  _

_ “Let’s get you cleaned up.” She led him over to the sink where she grabbed a wet washcloth and started wiping down his face and paws. Somewhere, in the back of Jack’s mind, an alarm bell was going off. _

The memory faded away and Jack blinked open his eyes. Even if they were dreams, at least he was able to remember it this time. He looked down at his pale hands and watched as they moved. The paws from his memory-dream?- were white with small pink pads. It didn’t make sense. None of it did, really. The woman who felt like his mom in the memory definitely wasn’t human. There were also the two suns, and three moons.

“Jack.” Tooth’s hesitant voice brought him out of his thoughts. She was looking at him with wide purple eyes.

“So?” He braced himself. He wasn’t entirely sure which he wanted it to be more. Human memories were expected, safe. No more questions. These non-human memories felt more like his, but they left a mountain of questions that he didn’t even know how to deal with.

She took a deep breath. “That was definitely a memory. I know it’s a lot to take in. And I’m sure you have a ton of questions, but only time and more memories resurfacing will answer them.”

Jack rubbed a hand over his eyes. “I'm a Pooka? But- _ How? _ ”He looked up at Tooth. “In my memory, I don’t really know how, but I knew that rabbit was a Pooka, and I think I knew I was one, too.”

“How much do you know about Bunny?” She asked.

He threw his head back against the beanbag before answering. “I know he’s a Pooka. I also know he’s the last.”

She let out a short laugh. “Not anymore.”

He looked at her. She had a small smile. “But I’m human, right?”

Tooth shook her head. “No, that memory just proved otherwise. The tooth box holds memories. They don’t just pull them from your mind. So, if you can gain access to someone else's tooth box, you can gain access to their memories. The memory we just saw came from you, Jack.” She paused and let out a sigh. She put a comforting hand on his knee. “Look, Jack. I don’t know much about Pookas, but I do know they’re shapeshifters. Between that memory and now, you must have shifted into a human. You really need to talk to Bunny about this. He would be able to answer some of those questions about Pookas.”

Jack shot up and grabbed Tooth by her shoulders in a jolt of panic. “You can’t tell him!”

Her eyes widened in surprise. “Why?”

He scoffed. “Like he would believe me. Just mention Pooka to him has him lashing out. He’d probably think it’s a mean prank or something.” He let go of her, leaning back into his seat. “I mean, look at me. As far as anyone besides us knows, I’m human. I have human memories in a little box. There’s nothing about me that says I’m not human. He’d probably never talk to me again, Tooth.”

She folded her arms. “Well, then we just need proof. I won’t say anything to him, I promise. But you have to promise me something: tell me about these memories. I may be able to help figure out exactly how you became, well, Jack Frost.”

He nodded. “Of course, Tooth. I don’t really want any of the guardians knowing about this for right now. I’ll come to you whenever I get a new memory.” He rubbed at his eyes again. “I think I’m gonna go. I really appreciate you helping, but I think I need some time to think.”

She patted his shoulder gently. It was surprisingly more comfortable than any words.

The two of them said their goodbyes before Jack flew off.

___

Aster was anxious to hear back from North, but he knew the man needed more than a couple of days to find an answer. Still, he wanted answers. So he scored his own personal library while he waited. 

His personal library was his pride. After landing on earth, he looked through the remains of his people for anything to preserve. Since the colonies were evacuated long before Pitch wiped everyone out, there was a lot for him to find. It was a long, painful process. They had already started building small colonies on the egg-shaped planet. Small little reminders of what he lost. They didn’t just lose the war; they lost everything-everyone-and Aster was the only one left to sift through the left-overs. Still, he did it. Even with just him being the only one to remember his people, their existence still needed to be preserved. So, he went from settlement to settlement and gathered everything he could. He took clothes and books and every little trinket he could find. He put them all in the Warren, which was still in the early stages. The left-overs of a gone civilization shaped the warren in a way, and it both comforted Aster and tore him apart every time he stopped to remember.

The library was by far the largest collection. Pookas were knowledge seekers, and their vast libraries showcased that. In the beginning, the warren’s library was just a small burrow lined with natural stone shelves. Now, it was twice the size of the next biggest room in his home. Rounded walls were wrapped floor to ceiling with books. The only places not covered were the large front facing window and the doorway. The room stood two stories tall and had a lower level that was reserved for more sacred texts and powerful magical books. 

The lower level was where Aster decided to start. He knew most of the books containing the ins and outs of Pookan magic were held there, as well as some books on other magical creatures. Mostly long gone ancient beings, but he figured he had to start somewhere.

Unfortunately, the books didn’t shed any light on the situation. Aster spent most of the day following the monthly meeting looking through the lower level. The only books that sounded even close to the magic he felt were Pookan books, about Pookan magic. 

He was on the verge of pulling out fur when he heard the unmistakable sound of a snow globe go off. In a blink, he rushed upstairs and out his front door. 

“Bunny! Is good to see you!” North greeted the rabbit with his usual boisterous laugh.

“Did’ya find something?” He wasn’t really in the mood for pleasantries.

“Quick to point, I see.” He clapped his hands together. “Yes and no. Nothing concrete, but! I did find something.”

“Well?” 

At that, the Cossack folded his arms over his chest. “Bunny, this is not garden talk.”

Aster rolled his eyes but beckoned him inside. The two of them made their way into the kitchen. North waited until both of them were settled in at the small kitchen table. “What do you know of beings of Light?”

He furrowed his brows. “Like Nightlight?” He waited for a nod from North before continuing, “well, not much. They were few and far in-between. They were only ever seen with the Lunar family.”

North stroked his beard in thought. “So, Manny knows more?”

Aster shrugged. “Maybe. He was an infant when the golden age ended. The Pookan weren’t the only species Pitch eradicated. Why are you asking about them, anyway? You think Jack might be one?”

The old man gave his own shrug. “Maybe. You said once Pookan magic involved light. There was a book Ombric left in library about these beings of Light. It said they wielded weapons made of light. It may be stretch, but, ah, better than nothing I suppose.”

He sat back in his chair in favor of responding for the moment. It  _ was  _ a stretch, but not a far one. Even though he lived through the Golden Age, he spent most of his time with his people. The Pookan’s role in intergalactic relationships wasn’t very interactive. They shaped planets for colonies or a species’ new home. Once their job was done, they didn’t really stick around to chat. Plus, Aster wasn’t all that involved in the political realm of things. Even coming from an affluent family, he stayed far away from others. He truly didn’t know if the Pooka would respond to a Light weapon the same way they would to a Pookan weapon. “How would we even test if that’s true? The only memories Jack has are human ones, and there aren’t exactly any of these beings just out and about.”

Even if he wasn’t looking, he could hear the sly smile in North’s voice. “I have already reached out to Nightlight and Katherine”

Aster balked. “How? We haven’t seen them since the last go -around with Pitch!”

The Cossack had a twinkle in his eyes as he said, “I have my ways.”


End file.
